Improvement in many-cham bered-cylinder fire-arms



Td F. STRONG.

Revolver.

Patented Api. 21. 1838 N-PETERS, PHOTO-LTMOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON D C THEO. F. STRONG, OF NORTHAHPTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MANY-CHAMBERED-CYLINDER FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters vTo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LTHEODORE F. STRONG, of Northampton, in the county of Hamjshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in the Construction of Many -Ohambered-Oylinder Guns or Fire- Arms, of which the following is a spectcation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows the gun as it appears externally when ready for use, and Fig. 2 a section exhibiting the interior arrangement of the lock and revolving cylinder.

a a is the many-chambered cylinder, the chambers of which terminate in nipples to receive percussion-caps at.their back ends, the nipples being each contained in an excavation or nipple-chamber, b Z), formed in the cylinder and guarding it from injury. The cylinder revolves upon a tubular axis,o o, which is in one piece with the circular plate d d, the stockstrap @e and the general iron attachments forming the case of the lock and connecting these parts with the stock. der is surrounded bya cylindrical case or box, within which it revolves, said case or box being closed at each end by stout plates of metal. The periphery of this case is shown atff. The end g forms one solid piece with or is firmly attached to the partff, and is made thick, as shown in the drawings, and it is so made because it constitutes a cover to the open ends of the chambers. rlhis end will have the effeet ot' arresting a ball in case of accidental discharge of aloaded chamber not opposite to the barrel of the gun. Through this end g there is a perforation, into which the end h h of the barrel is securely screwed.

If preferred, a separate piece of wood, fi, forming a part of the stock of the gun, may be attached to the barrel; or it may, as in many fowling-pieces, be finished entirely of iron. The end i of the stock is rep/resented as passing into the tubular axis of the chambered cylinder, and there is an opening atj, or in some other part of the forward end ofthe hollow axis c c, which will allow ofthe escape of the discharged powder, should such discharge accidentally take place in one of the-chambersan accident not likely to occur, but one the bad elects of which are eft'ectually prevented lyuthis escape-vent and the arresting of the e a l The chambered cylin- Patent No. can, interi April e1, teas.

rlhe breech and barrel ends of this tire arm form two distinct parts, which are attached to each other by means of a screw, allowing of their ready separation.

The cylindrical caseff and its endg constitute one part with the barrel of the gun. pistol, or other arm, and into the center of the plate g the tubular axis cc is screwed, the circular plate d d entering and forming the back end of the cylindricalcase f f. To keep the two parts in their due position when screwed together, the spring 7c k has a pin `projecting opening on the edge of the head-plate d d.

The hammer l l slides on the upper side of the lock in a line with the axis of the barrel, so as to strikedirectly upon the percussion-cap. It is forced forward by a rack-and-pinion movement in the manner distinctly represented in the drawings, the general operation ofthe mainspring m3 in producing this effect being like that in many other locks, as is also the action of the trigger.

By the operation of cocking the chambered cylinder is turned so as to bring a fresh or charged chamber into the place opposite to the bore of the barrel, and this I ei'ect in the following manner:

the return of the tumbler c, on the shaft of which there is an eccentric, w, in consequence of which, when the gun is cocked,the endmof the tumbler is raised and carries withitalatch,

bearing against the sides of suitable depressions made for that purpose in the back end ot the chambered cylinder, pushes it round.

Fig. 3 shows the end of the chambered cylinder, o o being the depressions upon which the latch operates. To hold the cylinder in place, a bolt, p, is forced forward by a spiral spring and is made to catch in the notches or depressions q q, Fig. 3. The cocking of the gun draws the bolt p back, so as to allow the chamber to turn by the action of the latch. A spring attached to the bolt has a catch on its end,which falls into a notch at q on the top of the hammer, and consequently retracts the bolt; but the bolt not being able to slide back as far as the hammer does, the catch is disengaged fr om the notch,the bolt is shot forward, and the latch n having at this time performed its office, the bolt enters the proper notch or down at is end lc which falls into a notch or- A lever m m turns on a fulcrum atm2 b n, attached to it by ajoint-pin,and this latch,

depression and contines the cylinder. Aslight spring, @bears upon the latch so as to force it forward and cause it enter the depressions 0 0.

Instead of the bolt p for holding thecylinder in its place, with its spiral spring and the catch q, I have devised another mode ot' effecting the object intended to be accomplished by that apparatus.

In Figs. 4 and 5, s is a ferrule or ring,which is to be so situated that it maybe made to embrace the rear end ot' the barrel where it comes in contact with therevolving chamher,and may also embrace each chamber successively.

Fig. 6 shows the open ends of the chambers, the dark lines ss which surround them representing grooves, into which the edge of the ferrule may pass. The shank t 1r of the ferrule s has a button, u, on its lower end and works upon a joint-pin at its center. Its situation on the gun is shown by the dotted lines on the place g in Fig. 2. The ferrule s occupies thc part above named,which is represented bythe dark lines above and below thc screw in the rear ofthe barrel and extending into the chainbered cylinder. By pressing the finger on the nut u the ferrule s is drawn entirely onto the rear ot' the gun-barrel and the cylinder is at liberty to revolve, and when it turns round so as to present another chamber to the bore of the gun the ferrule s will be forced into the grooves by the'spring t2, Fig. 4, surrounding it, which will hold it tirmiy in its place. The ferrule is made to swivel on the upper end of the shank t, as shown in Fig. 5.

Having thus fully described the construction and made known the operation of the gun or other fire-arm a right to which I desire to secure by Letters Patent, I do hereby declare that what I claim as my invention therein vis l. In forming a case to the revolving chamber-cylinder, in the manner "described, with heads completelyinclosing the opening of the chambers and percussioircaps, excepting that one of cach which is to be discharged, the forward head being so fixed as to arrest a ball in the event of an accidental discharge ot' one of the chambers.

2. The combination of' the foregoing case with the aperture through the tubular axis, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination ot' the respective parts .of the lock, constructed substantially in the manner described, consisting ofthe combined action ofthe hammer and bolts with the tumbler lever and latcli,for the purpose of revolving the cylinder and discharging the piece. T. F. STRONG. Vitncsses:

P. I. K. MoRsELL, LINToN THoRN. 

